| St. Veronica Giuliani, O.S.C. Cap. | |
|---|---|
| Abbess and mystic | |
| Born | 1660 Mercatello, Italy (Duchy of Urbino) |
| Died | July 9, 1727 (aged 67) Città di Castello, Italy |
| Honored in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | June 17, 1804 by Pope Pius VII |
| Canonized | May 26, 1839 by Pope Gregory XVI |
| Major shrine | Monastery of St. Veronica Giuliani, Città di Castello |
| Feast | July 9 |
| Attributes | Crowned with thorns and embracing a crucifix |
Saint Veronica Giuliani, O.S.C. Cap., (Veronica de Julianis) (1660 – July 9, 1727) was an Italian Capuchin nun and mystic. She was canonized by Pope Gregory XVI in 1839.
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She was born Ursula Giuliani at Mercatello in the Duchy of Urbino in 1660. Her parents, Francesco Giuliana and Benedetta Mancini, were both of gentle birth.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Ursula showed signs of sanctity from an early age. It is told that when she was only eighteen months old, she uttered her first words to upbraid a shopman who was serving a false measure of oil, saying distinctly: "Do justice, God sees you." At the age of three years Ursula supposedly began to be favored with "divine communications", and to show great compassion for the poor. She would set apart a portion of her food for them, and even part with her clothes when she met a poor child scantily clad. These traits and a great love for the Cross developed as she grew older. When others did not readily join in her religious practices she was inclined to be dictatorial. At the age of 16, she experienced a vision which corrected this imperfection of character: she saw her own heart as a "heart of steel", wiped the face of Christ with her veil. In her writings she confesses that she took a certain pleasure in the more stately circumstances which her family adopted when her father was appointed superintendent of finance at Piacenza. But this did not in any way affect her early-formed resolution to dedicate herself to religion, although her father urged her to marry and procured for her several suitors as soon as she became of marriageable age. Owing to her father's opposition to her desire to enter a monastery, Ursula fell ill and only recovered when he gave his consent.
In 1677 Ursula was received into the monastery of the Capuchin branch of the Poor Clares in Città di Castello in Umbria, Italy, taking the name of Veronica in memory of the Passion. At the conclusion of the ceremony of her reception, the bishop said to the abbess: "I commend this new daughter to your special care, for she will one day be a great saint."
Veronica became absolutely submissive to the will of her spiritual directors, though her novitiate was marked by extraordinary interior trials and temptations to return to the world. At her profession in 1678 she conceived a great desire to suffer in union with our Savior crucified for the conversion of sinners. About this time she had a vision of Christ bearing His cross and henceforth suffered an acute physical pain in her heart.
In 1693 she entered upon a new phase in her spiritual life when she had a vision of a chalice, symbolizing the Divine Passion which was to be re-enacted in her own soul. At first she shrank from accepting it and only by great effort eventually submitted. She then began to endure intense spiritual suffering. In 1694 she received the impression of the Crown of Thorns on her head, the wounds being visible and the pain permanent, and on Good Friday, 1697, she received the impression of Jesus' five wounds on her hands, feet and side. By order of the bishop she submitted to medical treatment, but obtained no relief from these wounds.
Although she lived a supernaturally mystical life, she was a practical woman of affairs. For 34 years she was Mistress of novices, and guided the novices with great prudence. It is notable that she would not allow them to read mystical books. In 1716, she was elected abbess and while holding that office enlarged the monastery and had a good system of water-pipes laid down, the monastery up to that time having been without a proper water supply.
She died on July 9, 1727, at Città di Castello.
After Veronica's death a figure of the Cross was supposedly found impressed upon her heart, and her body has been noted as being incorrupt.
She was beatified by Pope Pius VII on June 17, 1804, and was canonized by Pope Gregory XVI on May 26, 1839. She is usually represented in art crowned with thorns and embracing the Cross.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed (1913). "St. Veronica Giuliani". Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company.